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Having used and experimented with the MSB on all of my hammocks, it is my opinion that the Amsteel loop in the channel creates the "sag" or space between the MSB and the hammock. The purpose of the MSB is to provide a constant space between the 2 corners. The "sag" can be adjusted any number of ways as has been shown throughout this thread.

If its the spread that's an issue, this shouldn't be hard to fiddle with either.
We'd want our spreader bar to be threaded so you can expand it and contract it, and you'd want the loop through the end of the hammock to be setup as some sort adjustable loop so you can maintain the slack of the loop in proportion to the width of the hammock.

I wonder if we could replace the spreader bar with an inflatable ball/bag/bladder in the tip of the hammock that flares the fabric out as it comes down away from the whipped end.

The sag makes the centerline of the hammock effectively longer than the sides, thus eliminating a tight centerline we call calf ridge.

@ Downhill Trucker: Do you find that with the small loops in the channels that the sides of the hammock get tight, like when you are sitting in the hammock getting in or out? I have played with different amounts of sag and with an extreme amount the hammock feels like a bathtub, with high sides that are tight under the knees when sitting in the hammock.

Downhill Trucker: I was planning on making a new hammock almost exactly this way (instead of squeezing the channel ends real tight, they're left to "float" in a loose loop, replicating the "arch" of the mini-spreader bar).

My plan is to make a continuous loop, then run it through the channel, then lark's head my whoopie to the two loops. (instead of your whoopie hook) How long is your loop?

I think yours looks great! Thanks for posting, DT!

"Pips"

Mountains have a dreamy way
Of folding up a noisy day​In quiet covers, cool and gray.

I'm working on a full-time hammock, so weight isn't an issue. U-bolts from Home Depot with wing-nuts for easy removal (for laundering). 6" red oak 1x1's for the bars. I can detect no center ridge at all with this set up. Wonderfully flat...Mighty Mouse is a happy camper!

Duffy, what length is that hammock, please. I'm doing a bit of playing with things and while using an 11ft. table cloth I am basically sleeping across it, wondering if I can go a bit straighter with your mod.

On my latest tablecloth hammock I made a large continuous loop fed it thru the channel and pick up my SRL that comes thru a hole in the middle of the channel. Nothing new I show a similar setup a few pages back. But the continuous loop is larks headed to the ring on each end, rather than spliced thru the channel. I dont know if that makes sense, but I find it comfortable enough to not bother with the bar.https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-w...of+17%2529.jpg

Deep peace of the running wave to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace without end to you.
adapted from - ancient gaelic runes

Right, this is what I want to try first, but intentionally make the loop several times bigger than it really needs to be and make it so I can adjust how far up the loop the corners sit so I can see if there's a sweet spot or a point at which things get worse.